PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN KEY IN COST AND AVAILABILITY OF SPORTS PROGRAMS

The City of Ottawa is in the first stages of reviewing its Parks and Recreation Master Plan and is looking for feedback. White papers have been posted on the City’s website at http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/pr_master_plan/. Included in the online version of each white paper is a survey people can fill out to provide feedback on questions about how recreation services should be provided.

For people concerned about specifics like a swimming pool in their community or how ice time is allocated, a Parks and Recreation Master Plan can seem vague and unrelated to their concerns. It isn’t. What is in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan will decide what programs should be offered, whether facilities are needed, and whether recreation programs should be subsidized. With the number of people involved in sports and recreation programs in our community it is important the voices of Kanata residents are heard.

Policies in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan determine things like whether rinks or pools should built as stand alone facilities or grouped together in larger complexes. They determine whether community groups providing recreation services should be allowed flexibility or whether there should be one set of standards that apply across the city. Issues like who should receive subsidies and how services should be funded are also addressed.

The consultation on the White Papers is just the first stage. Using the information collected, Parks and Recreation staff will be preparing draft recommendations on priorities and operating principles that will be released in October. A final report based on feedback from the draft recommendations will be coming forward in December or January.

At any stage it is possible to make chances. However, if people speak up early in the process there is a lot more chance their concerns will be reflected in the final policy.

OPEN HOUSE ON KANATA RECREATION COMPLEX RENOVATIONS

Currently, parts of the Kanata Recreation Complex are not being fully utilized even though the demand for meeting and activity space in Kanata is high. There is also a need to bring the facility up to current municipal standards.

An Open House is being held to provide information on the proposed work and get suggestions on how the renovations can best meet our needs. The Open House will be:

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009
6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
2nd Floor Meeting Room
Kanata Recreation Complex
100 Walter Baker Place

If you are not able to attend but would like information, you can contact Paul Landry at 613-580-2424 x 24392 or email at paul.landry@ottawa.ca.

THANK YOU TO SPRING CLEANING THE CAPITAL VOLUNTEERS

I would like to thank the thousands of Kanata South residents who took part in Spring Cleaning the Capita this year. Teams ranged from one to 700. The hard work of participants has left parks, roadsides and other public spaces throughout Kanata South looking a lot better.

WORKING FULL-TIME FOR KANATA SOUTH

I appreciate the chance to hear from you about issues affecting our community. You can reach me at 580-2752 (office), 580-2762 (fax), www.feltmateforkanata.com or peggy.feltmate@ottawa.ca